The Bite is Worse than the Bark
by CrazedNarutoFan
Summary: Sequel to Dog Days. Megaman has to find a way to help Lan cope with his on going conflicts. On the way, they discover what really matters and what's important in life relationships, reputations, and everything in between. Light Shounenai.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer- I don't own any characters. They belong to Capcom and Ryo Takamisaki**.

**Megaman's POV-**

"Lan, no more. I'm tired." Lan was trying to pull me back to the park to play more soccer, but I was exhausted. We had been playing for close to three hours now.

I guess you could say I was really happy to be in the human world; not in a dog's body. I finally felt free. Though, I didn't feel quite like myself. I had to dress like any normal person; in a t-shirt and loose fitting jeans. Lan would laugh at my hair, calling it 'the mop.' It's not my fault that I was programmed to look like this. People frequently saw me as a sixteen year old high school student, and Lan tended to side with them. This was definitely better than being in the cyber world, fighting darkloids, having things explode on you, and getting impaled by swords.

Once we were home and in Lan's room, I flopped on to the bed and stretched. God, I was so tired.

"How was your day at school? Any more bad grades?"

I knew I had hit a nerve when Lan stopped unpacking his school bag. He had been so eager to play soccer with me that he forgot to leave his things at home.

"I'd rather not talk about it."

Ever since Lan told me about his depression and the trouble with his friends, I've been able to read him like a book. I know when something's going on. It's heartbreaking to watch. He suffers everyday, trying to keep what little friendship he has.

Lan seemed too vulnerable right now, so I didn't press the issue. He shuffled over to the bed and lay down next to me. I stretched my arm to the side, resting it against the top of his head. Almost immediately, he rolled on to his side and pressed his face against my arm. I felt my skin get wet and I knew he was crying. There's nothing you could do once Lan got like this. It I tried to move, he'd just cling to me like a Bandaid and not let go.

It's at times like these that I would let my mind wander. The thought of Lan trying to kill himself was always on my mind. I'd been having nightmares every night; dreams of which Lan died because I was a useless fool who didn't care about his feelings. That's definitely not me. I care about him with all my heart. I'd do anything for that furry-headed, curry-loving… wow. I'm thinking too far into this. I'd better stop; I'm scaring myself.

"Megaman, are you feeling okay?"

Lan had stopped crying long enough to speak.

"Yeah."

Lan wrapped his arms around my torso and hugged me tightly.

"Lan, I have an idea."

"What're you talking about?"

"I know how to end your suffering."

I hoped this was a good idea. If it isn't, I don't know what is.

**Did you all like the new sequel? I'm still in the process of writing it, so it may take so time between updates. I've decided to make an alternate ending for those of you who don't like shonen-ai. I'll be nice to you all. 'Tis the season.**

**Please review and tell me how it was. Happy Holidays to you all.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Megaman's POV-**

Unfortunately, Lan wasn't too enthusiastic about hearing my idea. He was rejecting it even though I hadn't told him yet. We were called down to dinner before I could say a word.

I watched Lan tiredly push hid curry around on his plate with a spoon. Lan hadn't been eating properly for a few days now. Today, all Lan had eaten was a piece of toast for breakfast. The day Lan didn't finish his curry was the day the cyber world froze over.

"Lan, how was your day? Did you do anything interesting?"

Lan froze and I knew he was under pressure. He brought his hand under the table, resting it on my knee. I took his hand in mine and gave him a reassuring grip. He took a minute to find a fake scenario before speaking up.

"Class was okay. We basically worked on a paper and did some math. It was unusually mellow."

"That's good. How are Dex and Maylu doing?"

Crud. Lan's getting stressed again. I'd better say something quick.

"Um, Mrs. Hikari, Dex and Maylu were absent today. Lan said they came down with the flu. Lan doesn't seem to be any better either. I should take his temperature. C'mon Lan."

Lan seemed happy to get away. That could have ended badly had I not intervened. He walked up to his room in silence.

"Thanks." Lan certainly wasn't his usual perky self.

"So, what were you going to say earlier, before dinner?"

I sat down on the bed, leaning with my back against the wall.

"I was thinking… that you could tell your 'friends' how you feel. Y'know, to finally end your torture."

"I can't just walk over to them and say, 'I hate you and I never want to see you again.' Do you have any idea of what they'd do to me?"

"Lan, it's the only way. We both know that they're cruel people who don't care about anybody but themselves. You need to stand up for yourself. You're a strong willed person, maybe even a little too bold and outgoing. You can handle this."

"But they'll tease me and post horrible things about me on the web. Roll and the others will do anything for their netops, even if it's blackmail."

"We have a saying that says, 'There are no such things as bad navis, only bad operators.' Of course this statement is completely wrong. Any navi can be programmed to do bad things, but you get my point."

Lan sat quietly for a minute. He had been so stressed today; I thought he was going to have a heart attack.

"I'll do it, but only if you come with me."

"You actually thought I would have you do this alone? Of course I'll come with you."

Finally, Lan looked relaxed.

"Lan, you should sleep. You look exhausted."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

I was surprised when Lan crawled over to me and sat in my lap. He wrapped his legs around my waist and his arms around my neck, resting his head on my shoulder. Within a minute, he was out cold. One thing I had noticed was that Lan had become very touchy-feely ever since I arrived in this world. At first, I thought of it as friendship. I mean, any person would be happy to see their navi as more than a hologram, but as a solid being. Now that I think about it, there seems to be a different meaning. I just can't think of anything right now. Nothing comes to mind.

I put my arms around Lan's torso, pulling him close. He smiled and nuzzled his face into my neck. Having Lan close made me feel weird. The warmth of his body against mine… I've never felt so happy. I closed me eyes and put my head against the wall, starting to fall asleep.

"Lan, I hope we never lose each other again…"

**How'd you like it? Fluffy enough, or do you want more? Don't worry, I'm making more fluff to satisfy you appetites. More chapters are on their way.**

**Quiz: Name the five summer Olympic mascots. Their names are in Chinese.**

**Win and get a cake. Yay.**

**I'll give the answers next update. I gave this little thing in another story of mine. Hope you find it fun. You don't really have to do this. It's just hard doing something for author's comments.**

**Please review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Megaman's POV**

"Lan, hurry up! Your breakfast is getting cold!"

I had to make Lan's breakfast this morning since Mrs. Hikari left to attend a supermarket blowout sale. I can't see what's so great about four canned goods for a dollar. It's not like we'll be experiencing a nuclear war anytime soon. The last thing we need is the house looking like a soup kitchen because we all know that Mrs. Hikari will go over the edge and buy twice her weight in strained green beans.

Lan finally came down stairs and sat at the table, putting his head in his arms.

"What's wrong?" I asked, pulling a tray from the warming drawer of the stove.

"I'm nervous. I think at this point, I'd rather suffer the rest of my school days like this."

"Don't say such things. Relax now. I made pancakes for you. Eat."

Lan picked up his fork and poked at the food.

"I'm not hungry."

"Don't make me force feed you like a baby."

A small smile developed on his face. I was glad to see that he wasn't completely emotionlessly drained. I took his fork and pretended to feed him. Lan playfully pushed the fork away.

"I'm not a baby! I'm a man!"

Lan stood up and made a pose.

"You're still a kid."

"How can you tell?"

"Because you're affected by this!"

I lunged at him, tackling him to the floor which, mind you, was not a good idea. The kitchen floor was solid tile. It hurt. We wrestled for close to five minutes, tickling each other. Lan truly looked happy, for the first time in a week.

We were interrupted when the phone rang. We stopped playing, only to find ourselves in a very embarrassing position. I was on top of Lan, our noses were touching, our eyes met, and my hand was on his waist, just a little too close to something personal.

I quickly jumped up and grabbed the phone, walking out of the room. I left Lan on the floor looking confused and somewhat disappointed.

Mrs. Hikari was on the phone, apparently calling about Lan.

"Lan, is that you?"

"No, it's Megaman. Is something wrong?"

"I was just wondering if you were on you way to school by now."

"We were just about to leave."

"Okay. Oh, before I go, do you want anything at the store? They have a huge sale on broccoli."

"I'm good for now, but do they have flowers or chocolate?"

"They have both."

"Can you buy a white rose and a box of Hershey kisses? I'll pay you back."

"You don't have to pay me, but sure, I'll get them."

"Thanks, bye."

Mrs. Hikari hung up. I had the perfect idea for those gifts. Hopefully he'd like them.

"Who was that?" Lan asked as I walked back into the kitchen.

"Your mother. We should get going now."

Lan hung his head, feeling nervous again.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

**At school: Megaman's POV-**

"Hey, Hikari! You're looking as stupid as ever."

"Hi, Maylu."

"Oh, who's this guy with you? He's hot."

"That's, uh, Rock."

"Hi, Rock. Are you single? I mean, you don't have a girlfriend, do you?"

"No. I'm not interested in girls like you."

I just felt like punching Maylu in the face. Lan needed to end this soon or I would have to end it for him.

"Lan, didn't you have something to say?" I had to push Lan to say it or he would never speak.

"Now?" He whispered back.

"Yes, now."

"Um… Maylu, Dex, you guys, um… I don't know how to say this."

"Spill it, Hikari!"

"I don't want to be friends with you anymore!"

Well, that was a bit unorthodox, but it had the right meaning.

"You don't want to be friends with us, Hikari?"

I didn't have time to react as I watched Dex punch Lan in the stomach. I heard a loud crack and Lan dropped to the ground, grabbing his stomach. I couldn't believe it. Dex had broken one of Lan's ribs. There was no one to stop him except me. Ms. Mari wasn't in the room and the class was devoid of any students. They were all talking to their friends in the hallway.

I pushed Dex backwards before he could kick Lan again. He lost his balance and fell into a desk. Next, I heard a smack, almost like the dull sound of a gun being fired. I turned to see Lan lying face down on the floor, unconscious. Maylu was standing behind him with a large text book in her hands.

"Lan was a terrible friend to begin with. We only liked Megaman."

I hated them. I-I just wanted to kill them! I brought up the buster and fired a warning shot into the wall. They stopped where they stood in fear and stared at me.

"Leave him alone! Stop torturing him or I won't hesitate to fire at you!"

Maylu dropped the book at her feet and took a few steps back.

"Megaman?"

I was scared. Even with the experience of hundreds net battles, I had never acted so reckless as I have today. Lan had never been in direct trouble before. He was always on the sidelines, helping me. I knew crossfusion was dangerous, buy Lan and I were in the same body, fighting and acting like Siamese twins. Sometimes, it wasn't just actions we shared… there were also feelings. They were intense at times, but mostly it was just the overpowering feeling of protection. We wanted to keep each other safe, no matter what. Now, more than ever, it felt easy to finally admit that I… I loved Lan. There was no denying it.

I saw Maylu's eyes shift as she watched someone move behind me. Before I could react, I felt something hard connect with the back of my head. I was lying face down before I knew what had hit me. Dex shuffled around me, checking to see if I was capable of moving. He delivered the final blow, a harsh kick to the side of my head.

Everything began to go black as I faced the door. My senses were dulling. Ms. Mari, a gray shadow by now, ran into the room after hearing the commotion. She screamed, something I wasn't able to hear.

My eyes drifted to the floor as I lost myself. I saw only the shape and some lettering on the weapon Dex had used to assault me: a large text book entitled: Algebra: Advanced. Lans worst subject.

Geez. How ironic.

**I know this chapter was more violent than its predecessors, but it all plays into the plot. **

**Please review and tell me how it was.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Megaman's POV-**

'Why does my head hurt? I can't organize my thoughts. I hear voices, but from where? This sea of darkness has flooded my vision. Someone's touching my head. Ow, that hurts!'

My eyes snapped open, only for me to be temporarily blinded by the fluorescent lights above me. After adjusting, I managed to see a hazy image of someone standing above me, who turned out to be Dr. Hikari.

"You're finally awake, huh?" he asked, giving a quick tug on the bandages around my head to tighten them. I winced in pain. It's first nature to know that you shouldn't do anything to aggravate a victims wounds, especially on the head.

Dr. Hikari must have seen something in my eyes because he pushed a small trash bin next to the bed as I rolled on to my side and vomited. I had to say, puking is the most vile action the body can produce. My throat burned and I felt like I would lose my stomach. It was dreadful for those ten seconds.

When it was over, I continued to lie on my side. All of the strength I had, which was still very little, had been drained. I thanked the gods I wasn't human. How can they do that three of four times when they have to Norovirus?

"I guess you really do have a nasty concussion. Lan did the same when he woke up."

"Lan's awake?"

Yeah. He's been awake for two days now. You've been out for four."

Dr. Hikari moved so I could see what he was talking about. Sure enough, Lan was lying in bed watching TV. He too had bandages around his head. There was also something that looked like a modified cast around his torso. I guessed this was because of the broken rib inflicted by Dex.

"Can I talk to him, alone?"

"Sure."

Dr. Hikari left the room, leaving the two of us together. I sat up and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. I felt a strong wave of nausea wash over me, but I managed to regain my composure. I walked to his bedside and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned his head and smiled. I noticed his eyes were glassy, but it was most likely from the effects of whatever medicine he was given.

"How're you doing? Are you in anymore pain?" I asked, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Not really, at least for the time being. I'm on morphine right now. Are _you_ okay?"

"Yeah. Your dad said I only suffered a concussion."

"You're so lucky. Because of my broken rib, I'm not allowed to move around, except to use the bathroom."

I just laughed and looked at the television. Lan was watching… the news!? That confirmed it; Armageddon was imminent.

"Megaman," Lan took my hand and gently pressed my palm to his cheek, "I have to tell you something important."

I just hoped this wasn't going to be like the first time he announced something. That didn't turn out too well. Lan opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted when his mother burst through the door.

"Lan, honey, I was so worried about you. I came as soon as your father called me. I didn't want to disturb your sleep, Megaman, so I waited until you both woke up."

Sleep? I was out cold!

"Your father said I couldn't stay too long because you two are still recovering, so I just stopped by to drop off a few things. I believe you wanted these, Megaman," she said, pulling something out of a bag.

She handed me the chocolate and white rose I had requested a few days ago. The rose was still fresh and the chocolates were cold, meaning that she had stored the two in the freezer.

"I suppose I should leave now. I'll see you two in a couple of days, when you're allowed to come home. Bye, boys."

The two of us sat quietly for a minute, listening for anymore footsteps.

"Well, as I was going to say-"

"Actually, Lan, can I say something first?"

"Um, okay."

"I specifically ordered these for you," I said, handing the gifts to Lan, "Because…"

Alright, Megaman. Calm down, relax, and breathe. You're getting yourself all worked up over this. Lan may not even like you. He may reject you. Don't get your hopes up. It could all end in heartache.

"Because I love you. I've never loved anyone before, so I don't know what to expect. Heck, I don't even fully understand what love is, but-"

I was shocked as Lan, despite his broken rib, sat up and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. If I had a real heart, I'm sure it would have just stopped.

"What's the matter? You look surprised," Lan said with a smirk. "You didn't actually think I would react badly, did you?"

"Y-You just kissed me!"

"Of course. It's the reaction most people get when they share the same feelings as the one they confessed to. You really haven't been in love before, have you?"

"Which means-"

"That I love you too."

I sat there, still immobilized.

"Hellooo, Megaman. Are you-Owwww!"

I pulled Lan into a tight embrace, forgetting that he was in pain.

"Stop!" he playfully tried to push me away, without much success. "C'mon, that hurts!"

I let up a little on the hug and laid down next to Lan with him still in my arms. If this was paradise, I never wanted to leave.

We laid in silence staring at each other and, much to my annoyance, letting Lan play with my hair. Even though we had confessed to each other, nothing really seemed to change. This was a good thing because I liked the relationship we shared and nothing would seem right if that disappeared.

We watched TV for a while until Lan noticed that Jeopardy was on next.

"No! Turn the channel! There's too much information and too many big words!"

I left the show on until after only the first question.

"Ow, now my head hurts!"

All I could do was laugh. Certainly, nothing was about to change.

**Well, this is the end of the road. I used the best of my ability to write this story. I hope everyone liked it. Thanks to all of you who reviewed and read this. It always means a lot to make people happy.**

**Please review and enjoy!**


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